Trucks! show on Spike - Jeep buildup

Wonderful show. "Today we are going to install $30,000 worth of junk from our friends at BrandX". "We don't know what it really does to the vehicle, nor do we cover the more crucial points of installation, but hey, it's shiny!" "On our next show, we install a farty muffler, blue LEDs on the hood, and $400 worth of non-DOT approved funny tail lights, and hope you don't sue us after rear ending it in the fog"

All those shows are just schills for products. Basically slicker Infomercials. One of those shows once claimed to dyno a Harley Edition pickup, and then used one of those "chip tuner" code scanners you can buy at autozone for 60 bucks to get a peak horse power and torque gain of OVER 100 HP and torque, with no other mods. Absurd...

Hi Pat,

After watching a 2nd time... They actually installed 33". Stacey bloopered

35" near the end of the episode. I too thought the driveline angles and for that matter the D35 axle in the rear won't hold up to much stress if he digs into lockers and such. Stacey did mention the need for re-gear if they ever went to 35's, but the X came with 3.07's?!? or 3.55 ratio R&P right? Even 33's are a bit much for those ratios. From the sound of it, most of the rest of the build up will be window dressing. T.R. Roll cage, front and rear bumpers, winch and lights and such.

Brian

Oh well - better 33's than 35's, I guess. The stock 3.07 ratio on the X is not up to either size, to say nothing of the axles and the driveline angle. Even the optional 3.73 gears (which I have, and suffer with poor fuel mileage due to my 31" tires) are not that great with the 33" choice.

There is an interesting discussion on JU about this buildup, where one participant is advancing an argument that the weld-on long-arm bracket has actually compromised the service-life of the vehicle's frame (due to the welding locations on the frame, apparently). Also complaints about using a kit requiring changes which make a return to stock much more difficult affecting the vehicle's resale value.

All in all, a disappointing show. I feel sorry for the poor dad and kid, who appear to have genuinely trusted this character to install appropriate modifications. In my opinion, they now have a compromised vehicle which, at least for the intended driver, is a less capable, less reliable, less economical and more dangerous one than they started with, for both on- and off-road use. I hope the next episodes address some of these issues, rather than just blingifying the thing.

PLM

I am running 3.73s with my 30" and getting about 18mpg. that is quite good compared to the 11mpg I was getting with my 3.07 stockers. What are you considering poor gas milage??

Too true. They could easily spend another grand regearing to get back performance, not to mention a good SYE kit to reduce vibs. Of course then he is going to try to use it off road and snap an axel so he will need HD axels, (okay make that a couple of grand.)

Jeremy

I would have just bought a Rubi haha!

Brian

88 YJ

heh

• * * Matt Macchiarolo
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they said that they were replacing the 30's. I would presume that they had teh 30x9.5's wheel group. If that's the case, the TJ should have 3.73's. That's how my TJ sport came (30x9.5 & 3.73)